Powder



(am Model.)

MAXIM. METHOD 0F BESTURING NITRATING ADS,

Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

ineens anni* il UDSON MAXIM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE COLUMBIA POVDER MANUFACTURING COMFANY, OF SAME PLACE.

NiTi-EG GF RSTGFHNG NITRATENG ACHDS.

SPECIEGATIN fonning part of Letters Patent No. @(8,888, dated vAugust: 2, 1892. Application filed May 16,18%. Serial No. 392,958. (No specimens.)

To all? whoml irl may concern.

Be it known that i, HUDSON MAXIM, at present rc-siding at New York city,in the county of New York and State or New York,

5 have invented certain neu1 and useful lm-v tion compounds of cellulose, sometimes called nitric etliers-tbat is to say, pyroxyiine ot' the various degrees ot' nitration, such as dizo nitro-nebulose, trinitro-cellulose, bof-so that the said acid mixtures may be again 'used in such manufacture.

The drawing' is a diagram indicating in a general way an arrangement of mechanism vention. p

My invention is, however, also applicable for restoringl or strengthening and utilizing tbe weakened or spentaoids from the manu- 30 facture of nitro-glyceriue; and my said invention, moreover, comprises the utilization ofthe spent acids from the manufacture of nitroglycerine for the production of nitrocellulose and nitro-glyceriue.

The acids bath generally employed for the production of gun-cotton or trinitrate ofcel lulose has been a mixture of the strongest nitric and sulponric acids obtainable in coin- .:s-tiiat is to say, nitric acid of 1.52 speinc gravit-y and sulpliuric acid of 1.84 specilic gravity, usually mixed in the proportions of one 'part ct nitric acid to three parts of sulpliurie acid. boutfroin ten to twelve pounds of snob mixed acids are usually consumed or expended in tile production of each pound of gun-cotton. The weakened or spent-acids mixture isvuntit for further use in the production of the pyroxyline, because by reason of the quantity of nitric acid absorbed yor taken up by die cellulose during itscomrcrA sion into gun-cotton the proportion of nitric acid which remains in the'acids mixture is which may be used in carrying out Inyin` too small as compared with that of the sulphuric acid, and also because the water evolved by the reaction renders the acids 5'5 too dilute for further use.

By my invention I am. enabled to `utilize the aforesaid iveakened 01" spent acids for the further andcontinued'production of pyroxy'- line, as I provide for restoring the relative 6o quantity of nitric acid necessary, and atthc same time strengthening the acids mixture or rendering it more concentrated by diminishing the relative quantityof water, all as llereinaftcr explained.

In carrying my said invention into practice I mii With an excess of, the said Weakened or spent acids a quantity of a dried ni-v trate, preferably sodio nitrate, and then heat the mixture until the sodiumpitrateljor 11,170 ter gives off'- its nitric acid yandfisconverted into sulphate. I then allowtthe mixture to cool and the acid-sodium sulphate to crystal#` lize out of solution. The acid-sodiuin ysulphate in crystallizing absorbs 'fromthcacids 7 a considerable portion of the water previously evolved during the con-version of the lcellu-` lose, and thereby renders the acids mixture more concentrated.

I have stzfitedv above that `I heat the acids So and nitrate mixture and allow it to cool; but l can obtain good results by mixing powdered nitrate with the said weakened orspentvacids even when cold, or at atemperature of about 25 centigrade,or1e'ss. Althoughtherea'ction 85 is not so complete or rapid as when heat is employed, yet a considerable quantity of nitricJ acid is evolved by the ntrataandby the addition of strong; sulphuric acid,torender the acids mixture more concentrated `very 9o goodresults may be obtained. in carryi enemy-invention after@ portion oi the iveakencd 'acids has' beeriheated and the sulphate of soda :allowed toc'rystalf.

line then as much as practicableof .the ie- 95l stored acids is drawn offrono the crystals. I The crystallized sOdiumsulphate retainsor. y holds in suspension a considerable quantity ofthe acids, so'that all the restored acids cannot be removed by simply draining. therefore, afterk removing as muchas possible of the restoredyacidstrointlie crystallized sof diurn sulphatebydra' "ng, add another porkr Anon of the wealionednnsgenu @das to man' I loo 

